Media guide

ABSTRACT

An example system includes a main body and a module. The main body includes a first guide portion, and the module includes a second guide portion. The module is removably attachable to the main body. The first guide portion and the second guide portion form complimentary parts of a media guide when the module is attached to the main body.

BACKGROUND

Imaging systems, such as printers, typically form an image on a print medium, such as paper. The print medium may be transported from a media input (e.g., a paper tray) through various subsystems of the imaging system. For example, the print medium may be transported along a media path through an image forming portion using rollers provided along the media path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of various examples, reference is now made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system with a media guide;

FIG. 2 illustrates the example system of FIG. 1 with the module detached from the main body;

FIG. 3 illustrates the example system of FIG. 1 with jam in the media guide;

FIG. 4 illustrates the example system of FIG. 3 with the module detached from the main body;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of another example system with a media guide;

FIG. 6 provides a perspective view of the guide portion of the imaging device;

FIG. 7 illustrates the example system of FIG. 5 with the module detached from the imaging device;

FIG. 8 provides a detailed view of the guide portion of the imaging device; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for clearing a jam in a media path.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples described herein relate to media guide in a media path of an imaging device, such as a printer. In various examples, a media guide is formed by one guide portion that is part of the main body of the imaging device and a second guide portion that is part of a removable module. Thus, when the module is removed, the media guide separates, and the media path can be exposed, facilitating removal of jams that may occur in the media path, servicing or maintenance.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates an example system with a media guide. The example system 100 of FIG. 1 includes a main body 110 and a module 120. In various examples, the main body 110 may be part of an imaging system, such as a printer, copier, scanner, fax machine or a multi-function device. As described below, in various examples, the module 120 may form a removable part of the imaging system. In various examples, the main body 110 and the module 120 may be formed of any of a variety of materials, including metals, plastics or a combination thereof.

The main body 110 of the example system 100 of FIG. 1 includes a first guide portion 112. Similarly, the module 120 of the example system 100 includes a second guide portion 122. The module 120 is removably attachable to the main body 110. In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates the example system 100 with the module 120 attached to the main body 110, and FIG. 2 illustrates the example system 100 with the module 120 removed from the main body 110. The attachment of the module 120 to the main body 110 may be facilitated by latching members (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).

When the module 120 is attached to the main body 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the first guide portion 112 of the main body 110 and the second guide portion 122 of the module 120 form complimentary parts of a media guide 130. The media guide 130 may be part of a media path of the system 100 through which print media, such as paper, may be transported. In this regard, the main body 110 and the module 120 may include rollers (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) to facilitate transportation of print media through the media path, including through the media guide 130. Further, in various examples, each of the first guide portion 112 and the second guide portion 122 may have a width (into the page in FIG. 1) that is sufficient to accommodate a desired width of a print medium (e.g., paper). For example, the first guide portion 112 and the second guide portion 122 may accommodate a paper with a width of 11 inches (e.g., 11×17 paper). Thus, when the module 120 is attached to the main body 110, the first guide portion 112 and the second guide portion 122 each face the opposite flat surfaces of the print media being transported through the media guide 130.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, clearing of a jam in the media path in the example system 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is illustrated. FIG. 3 illustrates the example system 100 with the module 120 attached to the main body 110. As noted above, the media guide 130 is formed by the first guide portion 112 of the main body 110 and the second guide portion 122 of the module 120. As noted above, print media, such as a sheet of paper 199, may be transported through the media guide 130 by, for example, rollers (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 3, a jam may occur with, for example, the sheet of paper 199 being stuck or mis-fed in a media path, such as through the media guide 130. Such jams can often be difficult to clear. For example, pulling the sheet of paper 199 through one end may cause the sheet to tear, leaving portions remaining in the path to potentially cause further jams. In the example system 100, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the jam can be more easily and completely cleared by detaching the module 120 from the main body 110. Detaching the module 120 from the main body 110 separates the first guide portion 112 from the second guide portion 122, thereby allowing improved access to the jam. Similarly, the module 120 may be detached from the main body 110 for maintenance purposes, for example.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional side view of another example system with a media guide is illustrated. The example system 200 of FIG. 5 includes an imaging device 210 which may include various subsystems. For example, the imaging device 210 may include an image forming portion (not shown) with printheads, for example, for forming an image on print media. Similarly, the imaging device 210 may include a media input portion, media output portion and various other components.

In the example system 200 of FIG. 5, print media may be transported through the various subsystems and portions of the imaging device 210 along a media path 212. In this regard, the media path 212 is provided with various components to facilitate transportation of the print media. For example, the example imaging device 210 is provided with rollers 214 to convey print media through the media path 212. Various examples may include various other components to convey the print media through the various subsystems.

The example system 200 further includes a module 240 that is removably inserted into the imaging device 210. With the module 240 attached to the imaging device 210, the media path 212 of the imaging device 210 couples with and extends into a media path 242 in the module 240. In this regard, the module 240 is inserted into the media path 212 of the imaging device 210. Further, the module 240 of the example system 200 of FIG. 2 is provided with rollers 244 or other components to facilitate transportation of print media through the media path 242 of the module 240.

The media path 212 of the imaging device 210 and the media path 242 of the module are coupled through a media guide 230 forming an intermediate media path. The media guide 230 is formed with a first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210 on one side and a second guide portion 246 of the module 240 on the opposite side. Thus, the first guide portion 216 and the second guide portion 246 form complimentary parts of the media guide 230. In the example system 200 of FIG. 5, the first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210 forms the bottom part of the media guide 230, and the second guide portion 246 of the module 240 forms the top part of the media guide 230. Of course, in other examples, the top part and the bottom part may be reversed with a guide portion of the module forming the bottom part and a guide portion of the imaging device forming the top part.

In the example system 200 of FIG. 5, the first guide portion 216 includes guide rollers 218. The guide rollers 218 are more clearly illustrated in FIG. 6, which illustrates a perspective view of the first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210. For purposes of clarity, FIG. 6 shows the first guide portion 216 with the remainder of the imaging device 210 removed. In the example of FIGS. 5 and 6, the guide rollers 218 of the first guide portion 216 may extend substantially through the width of the first guide portion 216, as most clearly illustrated in FIG. 6. Further, at least one of the guide rollers 218 is coupled to a driven gear 220 which may be coupled to a gearing arrangement and/or a motor to cause rotation of the guide rollers 218. When the module 240 is inserted into the imaging device 210, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the guide rollers 218 of the imaging device 210 engage complementary guide rollers 248 provided on the second guide portion 246 of the module 240. The rollers 218, 248 facilitate transportation of print media through the media guide 230.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the example system 200 of FIG. 5 is illustrated with the module 240 removed or detached from the imaging device 210. Again, for purposes of clarity, FIG. 7 shows portions of the imaging device 210 removed. In various examples, the example system 200 is provided with features to facilitate insertion and removal of the module 240 into and from the imaging device 210. For example, in the example system 200 of FIGS. 5-7, the imaging device 210 is provided with a notch 222 for receiving a corresponding protrusion 252 in the module 240. When the module 240 is inserted into the imaging device 210, the protrusion 252 of the module 240 engages the notch 222 of the imaging device 210. In this regard, the notch 222 and the protrusion 252 form complementary latching features that facilitate insertion and removal of the module 240 into the imaging device 210. Further, the notch 222 and the protrusion 252 may facilitate proper alignment of the module 240 with the imaging device 210.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a detailed view of the first guide portion 210 of the imaging device 210 is provided. The first guide portion 210 is provided with an arrangement to facilitate proper or predetermined spacing between the first guide portion 210 and the second guide portion 240 of the module 240 when the module 240 is inserted into the imaging device 210. In this regard, proper contact between the guide rollers 218 of the first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210 and the guide rollers 248 of the second guide portion 246 of the module 240 may be assured.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, the first guide portion 216 is provided with a resilient member 224 which forces the top surface of the first guide portion 216 to be biased upward. In various examples, the resilient member 224 may be a compression spring or other resilient member, for example. As the module 240 is inserted, proper contact between the guide rollers 248 of the module 240 and the guide rollers 218 of the imaging device 210 is maintained via the upward biasing by the resilient member 224. The proper contact between the guide rollers 218, 248 translates to providing a proper or predetermined clearance between the first guide portion 216 and the second guide portion 246 when the module 240 is inserted into the imaging device 210.

The first guide portion 216 is further provided with a restrictor 226 to limit movement of the first guide portion 216. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the restrictor includes a hard stop 228 to limit movement of the first guide portion 216 due to the biasing of the resilient member 224.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 5-8, the resilient member 224 and the restrictor 226 are provided on the first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210. In other examples, the second guide portion 246 of the module 240 may be provided with similar features either in addition to or in place of the resilient member 224 and the restrictor 226 on the first guide portion 216 of the imaging device 210.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a flow chart illustrates an example method for clearing a jam in a media path. Various examples of the method 900 may be implemented in the examples systems 100, 200 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-8, for example. In the example method 900 of FIG. 9, a jam in a media guide in a media path is detected (block 910). For example, the media path may be a media path in an imaging system, such as the media path 212, 242 illustrated in FIG. 5. A jam may occur in a media guide along the media path, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The jam, such as the jam illustrated in FIG. 3, may be detected via sensors along the media path, for example.

In accordance with the example method of FIG. 9, a module is detached from a main body of the imaging system. As described above, the main body includes a first guide portion. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the main body 110 includes a first guide portion 112. Further, the module includes a second guide portion, such as the second guide portion 122 of the module 120 of FIGS. 1-4. Further, the module (e.g., the module 120 of FIGS. 1-4) is removably attachable to the main body, and the first guide portion and the second guide portion forming complimentary parts of the media guide, such as the media guide 130 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. With the module detached from the main body, the jam between first guide portion and the second guide portion is cleared (block 930).

The foregoing description of various examples has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the examples disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various examples. The examples discussed herein were chosen and described in order to explain the principles and the nature of various examples of the present disclosure and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present disclosure in various examples and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The features of the examples described herein may be combined in all possible combinations of methods, apparatus, modules, systems, and computer program products.

It is also noted herein that while the above describes examples, these descriptions should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a main body including a first guide portion; and a module including a second guide portion, the module being removably attachable to the main body, wherein the first guide portion and the second guide portion form complimentary parts of a media guide when the module is attached to the main body.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first guide portion and the second guide portion are to face a flat surface of media passing through the media guide.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the module further includes rollers to transport media to or from the media guide.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the main body and the module include complementary latching features to removably secure the module to the main body.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first guide portion or the second guide portion is coupled to a resilient member to bias the first guide portion or the second guide portion to provide a predetermined clearance between the first guide portion and the second guide portion when the module is attached to the main body.
 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one restrictor to limit movement of the first guide portion or the second guide portion.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the main body includes an imaging portion.
 8. A system, comprising: an imaging device having media path, the imaging device including a first guide portion along the media path; and a module including a second guide portion, the module being removably inserted into the media path, wherein the first guide portion and the second guide portion form complimentary parts of a media guide when the module is inserted into the media path, the media guide forming at least a part of the media path.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the first guide portion and the second guide portion are to face a flat surface of media passing through the media path.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the module further includes rollers to transport media through the media path.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the imaging device and the module include complementary latching features to removably secure the module to the imaging device.
 12. A method, comprising: detecting a jam in a media guide in a media path in an imaging system; detaching a module from a main body of the imaging system, the main body including a first guide portion, and the module including a second guide portion, the module being removably attachable to the main body, the first guide portion and the second guide portion forming complimentary parts of the media guide when the module is attached to the main body; and clearing the jam between first guide portion and the second guide portion.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first guide portion and the second guide portion are to face a flat surface of media passing through the media path.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the module further includes rollers to transport media through the media path.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the imaging device and the module include complementary latching features to removably secure the module to the imaging device. 